Linda Thompson
Lakota beaded moccasins & leggings, and Lakota
cradleboards
Linda Thompson, who lives on the Lower Brule Reservation, is an
expert beadworker and regalia maker. In 2003-2004, she worked with two women
to teach the making of beaded moccasins and leggings; her apprentices were
Belinda Joe of Ft. Thompson and Wendy Wells of Lower Brule.
Belinda learned beadwork when she was younger but hadn’t done it for years;
now she is making a pair of moccasins for herself. Wendy also learned to
bead when she was young, and has made dance outfits for her children, but
never took on the more traditional and complex work of making moccasins
until now. Both Wendy and Belinda plan to teach what they learn to Indian
youth.
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Belinda shows the tipi design she has beaded on her
moccasin tops.
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Linda Thompson with a beaded pipe bag she made. |
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Wendy Wells studies a book for beadwork pattern ideas. |
Traditional beaded moccasins made by Linda Thompson. |
Linda Thompson is well-known an a beadworker and regalia maker in her
home community of Lower Brule and in the wider South Dakota Indian
community; she is a regular participant and award-winner at the Northern
Plains Indian Art Market. For the 2006-2007 apprenticeship she worked with
Tamara Fonder and Stephanie Langdeau, both members of her
extended family, to make two different types of cradleboards. The first type
had wooden uprights and comes from Cheyenne and Kiowa tradition, and Tammy
and Stephanie did beadwork on Pendleton blankets that were sewn into covers
for the boards. The second type was a more traditional soft buckskin
cradleboard used by the Lakota people.
Apprentice Tamara Fonder shows the beadwork she has worked on a
Pendleton blanket that will be used for a cradleboard cover. |
Linda Thompson’s delicate beadwork on the toe piece of a moccasin. |
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